Before I Fall
by PasoFinoLove
Summary: Paige Dineen had it all: popularity, the most handsome boyfriend, amazing friends. But on Friday, February 12, her life changes. She dies. Here's the catch: for the next week, Paige wakes up and relives that day-to find the reasons surrounding her death and find out what she is capable of losing Forever {AU based off of the novel by Lauren Oliver}


**This is going to have a bit more language than my other stories, but this wouldn't be the same if it didn't. (And I haven't edited this yet so I apologize for mistakes).**

My alarm blares at me, as if saying: "Get your friggin ass out of bed, Dineen!" But that's not what wakes me up, it's the thought of Lindsay dragging me into her car without any clean clothes (or undergarments) and makeup. As I start to sit up, my little brother, Ralph, slams open the door. "Come on Paigey, mom wants you to get up!" He jumps on top of me, knocking out all of my breath.

I push him off of me as our mom peeks in my door. "Lindsay said she'll be here in a few minutes. I'd hurry up if I were you." She and Ralph leave the room then.

Along with my alarm still going off, I see a message that came in 4 minutes ago from, guess who, Lindsay. It says: **happy cupid day gurl ready 4 ur big night w tim** 😉🍆🍑

I laugh at her message as I walk to my closet.

Lindsay, if you didn't know, is my best friend. Well, one of them. My other best friends are Ally and Elody. Ally is very stupid when it comes to school related subjects, but when it comes to the kitchen, she can do anything. Elody is what everybody would peg as a slut. I guess you could say she is. But once you get past the making-out-and-having-sex-with-almost-every-guy part, you'll see her heart of gold.

And Cupid Day. The day that's the most important at Thomas Jefferson. For this special day, you can send a rose and a letter (called a Valogram) to whoever you desire. The important thing is how many roses you carry around. If you have a lot, you're popular; if you have few to none, you're nothing-simply put. Lindsay, Elody, Ally, and I get the most. Of course. All of us are on the cheerleading squad (cliche as it sounds) and I'm the top of the pyramid (oh yeah, baby).

Then there's Tim. Tim Armstrong. Star quarterback (another cliche). He has strong arms (funny how his name is, after all, Arm-strong), and a to-die-for grin. And soft, warm (uhhh, and sloppy) kisses.

But what about the 'big night,' Paige? Tonight is the night that I'm doing it with Tim. You know what 'it' I'm taking about. It will actually be my first time, ever, doing it. (Well, duh, because I'm a virgin.)

I finish getting ready and head downstairs to meet Lindsay. "Sup sexy! Get in!" She hollers and whacks my butt. I sit in the passenger side next to her. "Let's get Elody, shall we?"

She tells me about the coffee and bagels in the back seat as she speeds down the street.

We pick up Ally and Elody in a few minutes. For some reason, they don't take as long as me to get ready-but they don't have a younger sibling.

Elody leans forward to turn on the radio. 'Fire Meet Gasoline' by Sia comes on at the beginning of the chorus. "Yasssss!" Ally exclaims as she turns it up.

The school day goes as normal. In every class, I receive at least three roses. In geometry, I get my rose from Tim. I'm hoping that he finally says it, those three words. Slowly, I flip open the paper's edge. Holding my breath and taking a peek, I notice he only wrote 'Luv ya.' I try not to look disappointed, and it's easy when a sophomore gives me another rose. The rose has cream and burgundy swirled around the petals. "It's beautiful," the girls breathes. She does her best not to stare. I open the note out of curiosity when she leaves the room. At the top of the paper, I see some erased math equation and instantly know who sent it. Walter O'Brien. The genius who moved to the states from Ireland in second grade. We used to be great friends, but things changed when I finally got my taste of popularity, and I couldn't let it go. Who would?

But besides that, the paper doesn't say anything else.

As the bell rings, I hear Walter follow me out. "Um, excuse me Paige?"

I turn around to face him.

"I'm uhhh having a party at my house because my parents are out of town. Well, actually, it's my sister Megan's party. But I was wondering if you would like to come?"

I shrug. "I'll think about it."

And I walk away.

At lunch, we decide to try out Walter's (Megan's) party.

"Hey beautiful," Tim whispers in my ear. "Ready for tonight?" I grin up at him. "I guess I am. But we'll," I gesture to Ally, Elody, and Lindsay, "be at the party tonight."

Tim smirks. "The guys and I are going too." He slaps my shoulder. "How 'bout I'll take you home after a few hours and we can have a smaller, much more intimate, party." And then there's a wink. I nod.

"Paige! Paige! Paige! Paige! Paige!" They all chant as he saunters off. I fake scowl at them and we bust out laughing.

We meet at Ally's house to get ready for the party. I put on a tight shirt with a low scoop neck and a mini skirt. I also have my suede coat that look like something vintage (but it's sooooo in right now).

On our way to the O'Brien's, we turn on the radio. (And remember, it's almost 11 PM). 'Focus' by Ariana Grande comes on. We all sing along and do our best to dance in the confined space.

Walter's house is in the middle of nowhere, or the woods you could say.

The party is pretty nice for being thrown by two people that aren't that popular. Walter is at the bottom of the totem pole, and Megan is around the middle. There are two kegs set up in the kitchen, along with red solo cups of beer set in random places. Some people are smoking throughout the hallways. Lindsay pulls out a vodka bottle from her purse. "Shots, girls!" We each take long sips from the bottle and pass it around. "Woooohoooooo!" Ally shouts.

"Hey babe," Tim wraps his drunken arm around me. "I'll meet you in five minutes so we can partaaaaaay!" He coughs. "Sounds good?" I can't even answer before he walks away.

I drink from my cup and my friends soon join me again.

But then something strange happens.

Everything gets eerily quiet.

Juliet Skyes.

Psycho.

She walks in.

She steps up and gets close to Lindsay, who's standing next to me. "I have something to tell all of you."

"You're a bitch."

She turns to Elody: "You're a bitch."

To Ally: "You're a bitch."

Then to me: "And you're a bitch."

Lindsay gives her THE DEATH GLARE. You know you have messed up when you are on the receiving end of this. She splashes the contents of a full cup of liquor on Juliet. "PSYCHO PSYCHO PSYCHO!" She yells as Juliet stumbles into the wall. Everyone joins the chant, including me. "PSYCHO PSYCHO PSYCHO!"

Juliet runs out of the room, her thin, white-blond hair clinging to her pale face.

The room erupts in laughter when she leaves.

And then I realize it's been over five minutes.

And no Tim.

I sigh with relief when I see him coming up to me. But he's super drunk, and smells like weed. He says something inaudible and slurs his words. There's no way tonight will be the night. He won't even remember it.

"Let's go, guys," I tell Elody, Ally, and Lindsay.

In the car, we listen to the radio again. Ally is smoking a cigarette.

The road is pitch black, and there are only a few streetlights. It's raining softly as well.

Quite pretty for being 12:38 in the morning.

I check my phone for messages when it hits 12:39. I look up when Lindsay swerves and says something like 'shit.' Then next thing I see is the road. Then trees.

We stop abruptly. All I feel is pain. Too much pain. It's hard to breathe. I smell smoke, probably from Ally.

Everybody says when you die, you see your life flash in front of your eyes. But I don't see that. Not even Ralph. All I see is Juliet Skyes.

I close my eyes to enter blackness, like how every movie ends.


End file.
